Climbing on bins is one of the things that you just have to do if you are a farmer. If you do not have to do it yourself, someone who works for you has to do it. Grain bins have evolved over the years, but the same could not be said for fall protection (safety… Read More

Although many Albertans are still on edge about Bill 6, which takes effect on December 1, there’s some good news for those who are going to have to upgrade their equipment or train new staff under the new regulations. The Alberta government recently announced $6 million in funding to be used towards costs farmers and… Read More

Since May 2015, when Alberta elected Rachel Notley and the NDP as its government, the province’s farmers and ranchers have had some adjusting to do. Legislative changes, such as Bill 6, have not been without controversy, but we perhaps haven’t seen the sweeping changes many feared. Still, farmers are dealing with depressed commodity markets and… Read More

Gord Winkel’s occupational history revolves largely around Alberta’s oil sands, having managed operations for Imperial Oil/ExxonMobil and Syncrude Canada. And he’s now bringing his experience in oil and gas workplace safety to the agriculture sector. Currently the University of Alberta’s chair and Industrial Professor of Engineering Safety and Risk Management, Winkel is also the facilitator… Read More

Last week, the Alberta government introduced Bill 17, the Fair and Family-Friendly Workplaces Act, which updates Alberta’s Labour Code and Employment Standards Code. Since the bill covers all workers in Alberta, it requires some further digging to parse out what applies to agriculture and farms. On Friday, Shaun Haney spoke with Oneil Carlier, Minister of… Read More

The Alberta government has introduced legislation to overhaul workplace rules across the province, including expanding labour relations rights and employment standards rules to non-family farm workers. Bill 17, named the Fair and Family-friendly Workplaces Act, received its first reading on Wednesday. If passed, most of it would take effect on January 1, 2018. While many… Read More

Albertans are being asked to provide feedback on recommendations made by two of the working groups looking at how Bill 6 could apply to farms and ranches. Since the introduction of the Enhanced Protection for Farm and Ranch Workers Act in November 2015, farmers across Alberta, and even other provinces, have criticized the government’s plan to implement tighter labour… Read More

When the Bill 6 town halls started in the fall, Christina Gray was a private member in Alberta’s Legislature, under the New Democratic Party. Now, she’s Minister of Labour and Minister Responsible for Democratic Renewal. That means, part of her portfolio involves work with the Enhancement of Protection of Farm and Ranch Workers. On Friday,… Read More

Last week, Alberta’s government announced details on the Enhancement of Protection of Farm and Ranch Workers Act technical working groups who will bring forward recommendations on what standards will look like under the legislation. After waiting months for the announcement, many in the agriculture community are critical of the government’s plan, including who was or wasn’t invited to participate. The AgCoalition,… Read More

The Alberta Government today announced details on the Enhancement of Protection of Farm and Ranch Workers Act (Bill 6) working groups, including that the members for those groups have been selected. “The nomination process to these working groups has identified a broad and diverse range of voices from the farm and ranch sector to provide… Read More

We ran a poll last week asking Alberta producers if they were procrastinating or protesting the mandatory sign up for WCB. You can see from the results that 28% of respondents say they refuse to sign up for a WCB account based on their personal principles. It’s been brought to my attention that I misinterpreted… Read More

The year is definitely flying by very fast. It only seems like yesterday that famers were rallying about Bill 6 and expressing their displeasure with the possibility of being legislated to offer Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) coverage to employees. As we approach the end of April we are encroaching on the deadline set by the Alberta… Read More

Last week when the Alberta Government released its budget, certain third party agencies and councils were relieved of their duties. Much of the focus was on the death of the Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency (ALMA), but there were others put to rest. The Alberta Farm Safety Advisory Council was also cut and dismissed. What? A… Read More

Alberta Agriculture Minister Oneil Carlier has agreed to work with a coalition of farm groups to improve farm and ranch safety in the province. The Alberta Agriculture Farm and Ranch Safety Coalition, or the “AgCoalition,” was formed in response to Bill 6 — the Alberta government’s new farm labour legislation. The group aims to provide… Read More

A coalition of Alberta farm groups formed in response to the province’s new farm labour legislation is getting itself organized. The Alberta Agriculture Farm and Ranch Safety Coalition, or the “AgCoalition” as it’s known, announced a formalized governance structure, communications protocol and plans for involvement in provincial consultations today. The group’s mandate is to “unify… Read More